A man who claimed he was a boxer and who assaulted a solicitor in a completely unprovoked one-punch attack, causing catastrophic brain injuries, has been jailed for six and a half years.

The victim, 38-year-old Kevin Geraghty, spent a year and a half in hospital, had to learn how to walk again and has not been able to work since the assault, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today.

David McFadden (29) with an address in New Cabra Rd, Dublin , pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing serious harm to Mr Geraghty outside the Back Door Pub in Dublin city centre on June 25, 2016.

He told arresting gardaí he was a “boxer” and said “the f***ing c*** deserved it”. The court heard McFadden had been assaulted by another man in a totally unrelated incident just a few minutes before he assaulted Mr Geraghty.

Handing down a six-and-a-half year sentence, Judge Martin Nolan said McFadden carried out a one-punch attack that left his victim with “severe and devastating injuries”.

The judge accepted McFadden had not intended to cause brain damage to Mr Geraghty when he punched him, but he told the court: “When you punch somebody in the head, you must accept the risk that serious injury can occur.”